Ear muff frame and mounting



Qct..28 1952 R. E. MAXANT EAR MUFF FRAME AND MOUNTING Filed Feb. 23,1950 INVEN TOR. $5925 BY -Z ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 EAR MUFF FRAME AND MOUNTING I Robert E. Maxant,Riverside, IlL, assignor to Maxant Button and Supply 00., a corporationof Illinois Application February 28, 1950, Serial No. 146,799

Claims.

This invention relates to the supporting frame and the mounting wherebyear muffs are hinged and swiveled on a head piece, either a head bandalone or one concealed in a cap.

Heretofore, ear muffs, of the type where the fur or pile fabric has beensecured to a stamped metal frame, have not been provided with a frameand mounting which would appropriately coact to yieldingly hold the earmuff in a fixed angular relationship to the supporting head piece.Generally such frame and mounting has been so loose that the ear muffcould not be made to press against the head of the wearer or be retainedin a position away from the ears if the wearer desired. Such ear muffs,when worn in high wind, are quite likely to flap or stand out away fromthe ears of the wearer or flop down around the ears when the user didnot want them on the ears, but wanted to reain the band or cap on thehead. Moreover, the former manner of attaching the mounting to the framepresented a construction so weak that careless movements of the muffwould often result in the distortion of the mounting or a breaking offof the muff from the head band.

The main objects of this invention, therefore, are to provide animproved form of frame construction for ear muffs which provides for amounting that permits these muffs, when attached to a head piece, to beretained on the head piece in practically any position desired by thewearer; to provide an improved construction of this kind which insures afirm friction grip of the muff mounting on the muff frame so as toinsure the retention of the muff in any angular disposition to which itmight be set; and to provide an improved frame and mounting of this kindwhich is economical to manufacture and durable in use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a complete ear muff with the individualmuffs assembled on the ends of an expansible spring head piece;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved frame and mounting on whichthe pile material or fur piece is assembled;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the several parts of an ear muff embodyingthis improved frame and mounting;

'Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of an ear muff andthis improved frame and mounting taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

An ear muff formed with a frame and mounting embodying this invention,comprises a pile fabric or fur pad 6 secured around the peripheries andbetween the frame member 9 and a retainer ring I, and with which isusually associated a liner 8.

These several parts are assembled on a machine such as shown in PatentNo. 2,324,009.

This invention relates primarily to the construction of the frame 9whereon is secured a wire it! to which is hinged the mounting mem berII.

As clearly indicated in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 2, the framemember 9 is a ring-like sheet metal stamping, slightly elliptical,embossed circumferentially between the outer and inner peripheries orbounding edges 9a and 9b thereof so as to enhance its rigidity. Adjacentone of the lesser arcs of the frame there is formed an integral web I2which is notched at I3 and bridged by the wire I0. The web I2 is formedby increasing the amount of metal between the outor and innerperipheries 9a and 9b. Preferably this web [2 is so formed that theinner bounding edge thereof constitutes a chord or free edge I2 locatedat one side of what generally may be termed the axis or center A of theframe member 9. The notch I3 extends inwardly from the chord or freeedge I2 of the web toward the periphery 9a.

The wire is round and the ends extend through apertures I4 in the web I2which ends, as herein shown, are bent outwardly to firmly secure thewire In in place. Obviously, the wire ends could be bent inwardly ifdesired. The wire In is thus in effect disposed in the plane of the webI2 and bridges the notch I3 thereby constituting a cylindrical bearingfor the mounting member I I.

The mounting II is a strap of spring metal bent U-shaped with at leastone of the leg parts [5 crimped as at I6, so that both leg parts arenormally disposed close together and the bend I'I conforms to the shapeof the wire and is in contact with the wire throughout the majorperiphery of the bend I'I. By virtue of this formation of the mountingmember II it has a relatively large area of contact with the wire Ill,and even prior to the insertion of the fastener I8 will tend to maintainan angular position to which it is set. When the parts I5 are compressedtogether by the fastener I8 the mounting I I will positively retain anydesired angular position with respect to the frame 9 to which it may beadjusted.

The fastener I8 is herein shown in the form of an eyelet I8 (see Fig.1). It could be a rivet if preferred. Such a fastener also serves to,se-- cure the ear muff to the head piece and provide a swivel connectionwhich permits the muff to be swung on the head piece I9 through 360degrees in the plane of the frame 9 and yieldingly retained at any pointin said 360 degrees of swinging.

The fastener I8 so disposes and holds these leg parts I5 that the bend I'I will so firmly maintain its friction contact with the wire I0 andallows the muff to be disposed and yieldingly held at any angularposition in which it may be placed with respect to the frame member 9within the range of practically degrees. Accordingly, when an ear muffwith a frame and mounting of this kind is attached to a head piece I9the wearer is assured that the muffs will be held firmly in any desiredposition: against the ears or away from the ears, upwardly above theears or rearwardly 'or forwardly of the ears.

Moreover, if Worn in a heavy wind there will be no flapping of themuffs. Furthermore, the wire l0, fixed as it is on the web l2 of theframe 9 affords a support for the mounting ll of such strength that itis not easily distorted or broken if one hurriedly or carelessly unfoldsor folds the muffs and head piece or stores the device when not desiredfor use.

The head piece [9 may be either a pair of spring-metal,relatively-adjustable bands, as

shown in Fig. 1, or a single spring band concealed in the band of a cap.

Variations and modifications in the details of the structure andarrangement of parts may be restored; to within the spirit and coverageof the appended claims.

1. c aim:

1 A mounting for an ear muff comprising, a ring-like stamping member,means forming a cylindrical bearing across said member in a fiat planethereof on a chord of an are spaced from the. center of said member, aU-shaped member of spring material embracing said bearing, and afastener attaching the parallel parts of said u-shaped member to causeit to retain a friction grip on said bearing for any radially disposedangular position.

2. A mounting for an ear muff Comprising, a ring-like endless stampingmember, a round element anchored to said member in a flat plane thereofon a chord of an are spaced from the center of said member, a U-shapedmember of spring material embracing said element, and a fastenerattaching the parallel parts of said U- shaped member to cause it toretain a friction grip on said element for any radially disposed angularposition.

3. Ainounting for an. ear muff comprising, a ring-like. endless andsubstantially flat metal stamping member, a separately-formed roundwire. anchored to saidmember in a flat plane thereof on a chord of anarc spaced from the center of said member, a U-shaped member of springmetal having an arcuately formed crimp in one leg to embrace and firmlyfit around said wire, and a fastener attaching the parallel parts ofsaid U-shaped membertg cause it to retain r gtiQn. e i nn S id; r for nyradially d rin e ula sit on.-

4, A mounting for an ear muff; comprising, a ring-like metal stampingmember, a round wire disposed in a flat plane thereof on a chord of anare spaced from the center of said member and having the ends insertedthrough. apertures in said member between its inner and outerperipheries to anchor said wire in place, a U- shaped member of springmetal embracing said wire, and a fastener attaching the parallel partsof said. U,-shaped member to cause itto retain afriction gripon saidwire. for any radially disposed angular position.

5. A mounting for an ear muff comprising an elliptical ring-like metalstampingmember with anintegral inwardly extending web ata selectedportion of the member, said webhaving a notch formed therein extendingoutwardly from the inner periphery of said member, a wire bridging saidnotch and having the ends thereof inserted through apertures located insaid web between the inner and outer peripheriesof said member, aU-shaped member ofspring. metal embracing said wire, and a fastenerattaching the parallel parts of said U-shaped member to cause it toretain a friction grip on said wire for any radially. disposedangularposition.

6. A mounting for an ear muff comprising an elliptical ring-like metalstamping member with an integral inwardly extending web at a selectedportion of the member, said web having a notch formed therein extendingoutwardly from the inner periphery of said stamping, a Wire bridgingsaid notchhaving the ends thereof inserted through apertures located insaid web between the inner and outer peripheries of said member, aU-shaped member of spring metal having one of the legs crimpedcoextensive with the bend to embrace and firmly fit around said wire,and a fastener attaching the parallel parts of said U- shaped member tocause it to retain a friction grip on said Wire for any radiallydisposed angular position.

7. An ear muff frame member of ring-likeform and a separately-formedround wire anchored to. said member in a flat, plane thereof on a chordof an arc across said member spaced from. the center thereof to form abearing adapted to, support a mounting for attaching said frame to ahead-piece.

8. An ear muff frame member of ring-like. form, and a separately-formedround wire anchored to said member ina fiat plane thereof on a chord ofan arcv across said member spaced from the center of said member to forma bearing, and a U-shaped spring, mounting member having a. crimptherein adjacent the bend of the U-shaped member embracing andfrictionally contacting said wire whereby said frame member is adaptedto be attached to. a head,--.

piece.

9. Anear muff frame in the form of a ring like stamping member having aninwardly extending web on a part thereof, the web having a free edgespaced from a portion of the frame, the web having a notch formedtherein inwardly from the free edge, the web also having aperturesformed thereinbetween the notch and the annular part of the frame, and around wire having its ends inserted through said apertures and spanningsaid notch to form a bearing adapted to support a mounting for attachingsaid frame to a head piece.

10.,An ear muff frame in the formof a, ringlike stamping member havingan inwardly extending web on a part thereof, the web having a free edgespaced from a portion of the frame,

. it ROBERT E. MAXANT.

appearances CITED- The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTSv Number Name Date 188,292. Greenwood Mar. 13, 18772,216,95 l McDonough Oct. 8, 1940 2,246,031, Baritz et al. June 17, 19412,447,078 Maxant Aug. 17, 1948,

